Forbidden Family Secrets
by farmergirl404
Summary: Cassandra Elizabeth Talitha Shaw grew up with stories filled with family secrets. After the death of Cassandra's grandmother, she boards the Titanic with more questions then answers. Will Cassandra find what she needs to know or will the stories spoken by others hold a deeper meaning of "family secrets"? Note to readers: Mandie will make an appearance. Story on hold.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Titanic or the Mandie Series

* * *

 _Note to Readers : The questions Cassandra is facing will be answered in this mystery story._

* * *

 ** _Prologue_**

 _My name is Cassandra Shaw or Cassandra Elizabeth Talitha Shaw, but my close friends call me Cass. Today, I received word that my only living relation has died: my loving Grandmary or, as she was known by many, Mary Taft, the wife to a late senator out of Boston. My entire life now seems to be turned upside down as I have no family to speak of. I have a vast inheritance, since my mother's passing, followed by my stepfather's in a buggy accident when I was but seven years old. It was rumored by my mother that Grandmary had, or even has, a brother. This is one reason I'm heading back to Boston in hopes to find my missing family if there ever was any. Part of me thinks it was just a story and the other part wonders whether it is true and not? When the name Joseph is ever brought up or spoken of Grandmary would change the subject almost in an instant._

 _I never spent much time with my Grandmary or any family for that matter. After my mother died, I was shipped off to a girls' finishing school in Europe. Now that word has come to me of her untimely death, I am to travel home to America to attend to my Grandmary's final wishes and estate. Which is quite large, mind you._

 _I will also be attending my best friend's wedding as her maid- of- honor. Rose Dewitt Bukater is my best friend. Our mothers were best friends, although that seems hard to believe. With the way Mrs. Dewitt Bukater treats my poor friend Rose, I find it hard to believe that she is anyone's best friend, especially my mother._

 _I will be in attendance on the Titanic's maiden voyage with Rose's mother, who I call Aunt Ruth, even though she is not my aunt. I am also being escorted by a hot-headed steel tycoon, a man Rose despises, and I don't blame her one bit. Mr. Caledon Hockey is a person I have no intention of being around for one second longer than he is forced upon me. I feel ever so sorry for my best friend Rose as everyone tells her, "Rose I wish you were more like Cassandra is. Such a graceful young lady who will make some man a fine wife someday." That was one remark that our Headmistress at finishing school always made towards Rose when I was present for a society tea where Rose met Mr. Caledon Hockley. Or it was a more arranged tea for young ladies to meet possible husbands by arranged marriage. Many men find me a beauty, and I don't think of their tastes as flattering or agree with their ideas of a proper young lady. I may be a wealthy heiress but I am a native of North Carolina, and I just want people to accept me for me. I don't let people know it, but I love to fish and hunt. Or at least I did with my stepfather until he died along with my mother._

 _We are to set board the ship of dreams as some call her, and I don't see it. Since she is, after all, a ship. We will all get to America at the same time. Also, after spending a lot of times on ships they aren't that fascinating any more. My Grandfather Taft owned the Cunard passenger company until his death. Whatever will await me on this voyage home can't be as bad as my Grandmary's death. I never really saw much of her except when she wanted to see me. I was the one who always came to her beck and call when it was our time for holidays from school. Now I'm returning home to Boston, or not as I should say. I can say that I'm the wealthiest orphan in America at sixteen. With the Shaw and Taft millions combined, men will be lining up to court me, is what my headmistress has told me. Men wanting to marry me just for my money? What a disgrace this world is coming to!_

 _In two weeks, I'll be home, wherever that may be. I still wonder what's the missing piece to my Grandmary's family, and I feel like something was lost or was not known. I hope to find out once I get back to Boston and go through her papers and get to the bottom of there being no family to speak of. I need a guardian, and I hope to find a male relation willing to take me on or at least care for my needs. With all the millions, I don't think I'll have much of a problem in that department. The one thing I know is Grandmary spoke of a brother Joseph and that she never saw him again after she left England. Something seems fishy about that story her father, or was it her stepfather, told her, then in turn, to me over the years about this mystery man Joseph. He could be my only hope for a guardian as Grandmary said he was quite younger when she left England. I was quite young when I heard the story only once from Grandmary after my mother died._

 _If this Joseph has died and has any sons that have survived him, then I shall need to locate them and ask for some form of guardianship if it is found most suitable for me. The headmistress said I'm more than welcome to stay, but I think she really means that my money and I are more than welcome to grace her fine establishment._


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Titanic or the Mandie series.

Author's Note: I would like to extend a special thanks to my beta hmweasley. You've been a wonderful help. Thanks again for all of your suggestions and taking the time to help me edit this story.

Historical Note: Some first class passengers stayed in the South Western Hotel prior to Titanic sailing. Some of the passengers were Thomas Andrews and J. Bruce Ismay.

* * *

Character List:

Lexi Johnson as Cassandra Shaw

Lisa Winters as Elizabeth Taft Shaw

Terrell Anthony as John Shaw

Gezell Fleming as Aunt Lou

Dean Jones as Mr. Jason

Brandi Nicole Freemster as Liza

Martin Thompson as Mr. Timothy Hanson

* * *

Chapter 1

* * *

10 April 1912 - Midnight - Southampton, England - South Western

Hotel - Cassandra Shaw's Suite

"No," Cassandra mumbled through her recurring nightmare.

Ten Years Earlier ...

"Momma, can't I go with you and Daddy?" Cassandra begged as her parents climbed into the carriage.

"No, sweetheart. We'll bring you back something special. Be good for Aunt Lou and Mr. Jason," Elizabeth Taft Shaw informed her daughter.

"Yes, ma'am," Cassandra replied as she crossed her arms and gave a very pathetic pout towards her stepfather.

"Cass, it's not going to work," John informed Cassandra, who stood off to the side on the porch on that cold fall day.

"Yes, sir."

"Drive on," John called to the driver.

"Yes, sir."

When the coach pulled away, Cassandra stood aside on the porch. Watching and waiting to see her parents wave goodbye, just like every other time.

"Come on inside, Miss Cassandra. It's getting mighty cold out here," Aunt Lou urged the child.

"Yes, ma'am," Cassandra replied to the older housekeeper before looking back and seeing the coach go faster than it should have.

As the coach kept gaining speed, Cassandra watched and stared on in shock. The driver lost control of the team, who broke away from the coach. Moments later, the coach flipped no more than a half mile from the Shaw home.

"MOMMA! DADDY!" Cassandra yelled as she took off from the housekeeper and towards the carriage.

Aunt Lou ran inside the house to fetch Mr. Jason. Since there was an accident she figured there would be bumps and bruises. Even a possibility of some more severe injuries.

"MR. JASON! THERE'S BEEN AN ACCIDENT!" Aunt Lou cried out as she saw the groundsman run past her to the scene.

"Miss Cassandra, step away," Mr. Jason urged as he didn't need for his employer's daughter to be injured.

When Cassandra was out of the way of any possible injury, Mr. Jason tried to see how bad the damage was.

"MR. JOHN! MS. ELIZABETH! ARE YOU INJURED?" Mr. Jason called out with no response.

Cassandra and Aunt Lou stood aside while Mr. Jason climbed up and faced his worst nightmare. They were dead. As Jason climbed down from the scene, Cassandra sobbed into Aunt Lou's shoulder as she had bent down to the child's level. When Mr. Jason approached Cassandra, he had lost all of his color in his face. Knowing it was an instant death was painful, but to know that Cassandra was left alone in the world was even more painful. Only with Mary Taft that would most likely not want to have anything to do with Elizabeth's child.

"Miss Cassandra, you need to be very brave," Mr. Jason told Cassandra, who looked at the older man not sure of what he meant.

"Why? Mr. Jason, what's wrong?" Cassandra pressed for answers since the whole world seemed silent at that moment.

"Your Momma and Mr. John died. Miss Cassandra, are you alright?" Mr. Jason asked as Cassandra stood in shock for a few moments.

"NO! IT'S NOT TRUE! YOU'RE LYING!" Cassandra yelled as she hit Mr. Jason on the chest on the day her own life changed forever.

* * *

~ End of Nightmare ~

* * *

"No, No!" Cassandra called through her semi- conscious mind.

"Miss Cassandra! Miss Cass, please wake up!" Liza urged as she sat down on Cassandra's bed.

"Liza?"

"Yes, Miss Cassandra," Liza replied.

"Did I wake you because of my nightmare again?" Cassandra asked the maid, who looked very tired.

"I'll be fine. You get some rest. Mr. Hockley and Miss Rose will be here in the morning. You'd best get some sleep now, so you can be ready for the day," Liza replied since she knew Cassandra's escort would come to escort her home.

"Yes. Thank you, Liza. Go back to bed yourself," Cassandra stated as Liza made her way back to her own room.

"Yes, ma'am," Liza remarked before turning off the light and shutting the door.

* * *

Cassandra's - Point Of View

 _Why did they die? The nightmare seems to haunt me the closer we come to sail on Titanic tomorrow. I don't want to travel on her._

 _England's been my home for the past ten years. I even sound English with the accent now. That's a special thanks to my Grandmary who shipped me off to a girls' finishing school in London._

 _Especially after she told me the story of her brother. I don't know what to believe any longer. Grandmary had her own secrets, many as they may have been._

 _America seems so foreign to me now. I've only been there eight times on holiday from school in ten years. I do recall friends inviting me to spend my holiday with them._

 _Rose. My dearest friend of them all. Her parents opened their home to me. Of course, Aunt Ruth said it was only proper to do so since she and my mother were best friends._

 _I only wish I had some knowledge of the truth. So many forbidden topics in the Shaw and Taft households were never to be spoken top two the names of Joseph and Talitha. My middle name is Talitha or, to be more accurate Elizabeth Talitha. My mother said she liked the name Talitha, but I really think she was trying to annoy Grandmary._

 _I do recall hearing a story my stepfather told me once about an Indian Princess named Talitha. John Shaw Jr., my stepfather and only father I ever knew, loved me as his own._

 _The story of Talitha was a fairytale, is all I can recall. It also goes along with my feelings if the story of Joseph is true or not?_

 _I want answers, and I'm determined to find out the actual truth._

 _I also personally think my staff knows more than they're letting on. I'm going to get to the bottom of all my family's secrets or my name is not Cassandra Elizabeth Talitha Shaw._

* * *

The Next Morning - Sailing Day ...

Ever since Cassandra had her nightmare, she thought something was going to happen, even though she couldn't exactly explain it. Just a thought of something or someone was going to change her own life forever. Cassandra knew her old nightmare had come back to haunt her like the night before only on strange happenings. Such as for this teenage girl, the Titanic sent shivers up and down Cassandra's spine, especially that morning. For one some reason Cassandra didn't know or was it because of her overbearing escort Caledon Hockley?

The morning had also been one of a hectic time. Rose along with Aunt Ruth had arrived to find Cassandra packed and ready to go. Rose, however, was not so thrilled about Titanic, much like Cassandra.

"Cassandra, why are you wearing black?" Ruth Dewitt Bukater questioned Cassandra in an accusatory tone.

"Aunt Ruth, you know I'm in mourning over the death of my Grandmary," Cassandra said as she gave the plain and simple truth.

"It's bad luck, Cassandra. Go and change," Cal said as he came into the parlor suite that had just been emptied of Cassandra's trunks.

"Mr. Hockley, you may be my escort, but you are not my guardian and neither is Aunt Ruth. I will wear what I see fit, and since I'm in mourning black it is," Cassandra said since she wouldn't budge on the subject.

"Cass, make me happy please. Wear something dark but not black," Rose pleaded with her closest friend because she didn't want her to anger Cal.

"For you, Rose, I will. Liza will help me change," Cassandra announced as the maid stepped forth.

"Of course, Miss Cassandra, I know you have the perfect dress that will allow you to still be in mourning and fashionable," Liza remarked as to give Cassandra some reassurance.

"We shall return shortly," Cassandra said as the maid hurried her off to the dressing room.

"Of course, Cassandra," Cal said as he eyed Cassandra like a prize to be won.

* * *

Cal Hockley's - Point Of View

 _Cassandra Shaw is a beautiful girl, no woman. I wish that I'd been paired with her, but my father's choice was the girl called Rose Dewitt Bukater._

 _The debt I had no choice but to pay out of my inheritance. I do think if I could have Cassandra Shaw she would have made me a better match. With her money and the Hockley name, we could go far in this world._

 _Now I'm stuck with the second best Rose, with no money to her name or dowry. I will control Rose, and if I ever had or have Cassandra Shaw, I will control her._

* * *

When Cassandra returned, she wore a dark royal blue dress with some white lace for a look of fashion. Cassandra was not pleased that she even had changed her clothes what so ever. Since she was in mourning for her grandmother there was no real way around it when it came to the other members in her party. Especially Aunt Ruth and her escort Caledon Hockey.

"That looks a little bit better, Cassandra," Ruth announced as Cassandra was pulling on her black gloves Liza had handed to her.

"Thank you, Liza ,and of course, Aunt Ruth," Cassandra replied.

"We should be going now since Cassandra has made us late for for our boarding time," Cal announced, wanting to be the center of attention.

"I do apologize, Mr. Hockley. It's a fact that you all are the reason for our tardiness. I was perfectly ready upon your party's arrival," Cassandra replied swiftly and walked out of the room with Liza in tow.

When they were all in the automobiles, they set out for the docks. It was one day of busy times. A time that people would want to remember the grandest ship in the world. The ride for Cassandra was very unpleasant since she was sat next to Cal and then Ruth on the other side.

Rose, like Cassandra, was most grateful when the car came to a complete hault. When the driver opened the door, he allowed Rose to exit, followed by the now smug faced Cal, Cassandra who looked up at the grand ship and didn't find her to be one bit impressive, followed by a very impressed Ruth.

"What do you think of her ladies?" Cal asked the group that was standing around him.

"I don't like her, Cal. The Mauretania is much more grand in my mind. Then along with that all this fuss over a ship," Rose answered as she didn't find any thing Cal liked fastanting or to hold her interest.

"Well, Cassandra?" Cal asked the teen who stood off to the side with Rose.

"Mr. Hockley, she's a ship. There should be no fuss, and besides, no ship is unsinkable, sir," Cassandra replied with her own ideas of the ship Cal found so grand.

"She is unsinkable, Cassandra. Even God could not sink her, trust me," Cal insisted.

"Call her Cass, darling," Rose pleaded with Cal, who didn't care for that nickname of Cass, to begin with.

"Sweetpea, Cass is not her name. Cassandra is," Cal remarked, not caring about what the ladies truly wanted.

* * *

Rose Dewitt Bukater's - Point Of View

 _Cal can be so rude. Cass is my best friend's name, and that's what I'll call her. Everyone who's close to her does it. Even her maid Liza at times._

 _Men think they're so smart. They say something about a ship and how grand she is. This ship is interesting, but Cassandra is right: **no ship is unsinkable.**_

* * *

"Come along, ladies," Cal said as he offered Rose his arm which she took very reluctantly.

"Cassandra Shaw, don't slouch," Ruth scolded, even though Cassandra was doing nothing of the kind.

"Yes, Aunt Ruth," Cassandra simply replied as she followed the group up the gangplank to check in with the other first class passengers.

"What do you think of her, Liza," Cassandra asked her maid and friend of several years.

"She's grand, Miss Cass. I just don't think she can be unsinkable. You know your granddaddy would have never said such a thing," Liza remarked as Cassandra gave a slight laugh, knowing her grandfather wouldn't hold to the notions of any ship being unsinkable.

"Cassandra!" Ruth scolded as Cassandra quickly wiped her smile and laughter off her face, knowing Ruth had no tolerance for certain behavior in very public places.

"I'm sorry, Miss Cass. It's all my fault you're in trouble," Liza stated as she tried to make amends for getting Cassandra into any trouble in the first place.

"It's not your fault, Liza. Aunt Ruth's bark is worse than her bite. She's absolutely harmless. Trust me," Cassandra remarked without looking where she was going tripping her way onto Titanic.

Cassandra Shaw made the least of any grand entrance onto the ship. When she misstepped Cassandra, flew on the ship and past a few officers and crew, leaving her as a big **X** in the middle of the floor.

"Miss, are you alright?" Fourth Officer Boxhall questioned Cassandra as he offered her his hand in assistance.

"Quite fine, sir. I've had worse happen at least. The only problem is me bruising my pride," Cassandra replied as the officer saw she was alright and in happy spirits.

"Well then, miss, welcome to Titanic. May I take your name, please?" Officer Boxhall asked as Cassandra stepped off to the side with Liza in tow. Followed by the late valet of her grandfather Taft.

"Miss Cassandra Shaw, my maid Liza, and valet Mr. Timothy Hanson," Cassandra announced as Hanson was catching his breath.

"Well then, you're all here, and welcome aboard," Officer Boxhall said as he checked the group off his list of passengers.

"Miss, are you alright?" Mr. Hanson asked quite worried about the heiress.

"Hanson, I've taken worse spills. You know that from my own mother. Now please take me to my escort," Cassandra said using her authority over the valet for effect.

"Yes, miss," Hanson remarked as he led Cassandra and Liza down the corridors in first class to find the rooms the group had reserved.

"Now, not a word of this to Mister Hockley, is that understood?" Cassandra asked, since she didn't need him becoming angry over the small spill Cass had while boarding.

"Yes, ma'am," both replied in unison.

While Cassanda made her way down the corridors, an officer looked back and saw the young lady. As if she'd caught the eye of one officer already.

"Who's that?" James Moody asked as he came to collect the tickets.

"Miss Cassandra Shaw, James. Don't get any ideas, she's an American heiress to some huge fortune. She also owns a Cunard passenger liner," Charles Lightoller informed the most junior officer.

"How'd you know that, sir,?" James asked out of curiosity.

"My wife reads the papers. Society pages to be more precise. Miss Cassandra Shaw is deemed the most wealthy orphan in America and in the UK combined. Don't try and ask her to court, it could cost you your positions with the company," Charles Lightoller warned the men around him.

"There's all kind of rumors going about, sir. Miss Shaw lost her Grandmother and is traveling back to America with a Mr. Hockley as her escort. Rumors also have it that she's unlike any other first class passenger. Anyone of us would have the pleasure to meet her," Joseph Boxhall announced.

"How'd you know that, Joe?" Third Officer Pitman asked.

"My sister," Joseph Boxhall replied. Without another word said he walked off with tickets in hand, leaving the stunned James Moody forgetting it was his job to collect the tickets.


End file.
